Broker boosts charity coffers with fundraising focus, networking lunch showcases pasta perfection, market run club collects high headcount and the league table for Insurance Times’ Fantasy Football season heats up. What has the insurance industry been up to of late? You heard it here first…
Cricket charity collects coins
Nottingham-based broker Russell Scanlan, part of Acrisure, has raised £11,301.09 for its nominated 2025 charity of the year – Trent Bridge Community Trust, the charitable arm of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club that was established in 2008.
Over the course of last year, Russell Scanlan staff participated in activities such as a quiz night, regular bake sales and November 2025’s Robin Hood Half Marathon in order to fundraise for the charity. Bill Russell – who first joined Russell Scanlan in the 1960s to follow in the career footsteps of his father and the broker’s co-founder Henry Russell – raised more than £6,200 singlehandedly by zipwiring across the Trent Bridge cricket ground.
Joanne Marriott, director at Russell Scanlan and chair of its charity committee, said: “Charity is central to our culture at Russell Scanlan. As a business that has been part of Nottingham’s fabric for more than 140 years, we recognise the importance of giving back to the people and communities who have supported us.
”We’d like to say a special thank you to everyone who has got involved and donated over the course of the year – this wouldn’t be possible without your support.”
Leisurely lunchtime
As 2026 officially gets underway, so too does Insurance Times’ networking calendar, with editor Katie Scott meeting up with Manchester-based Broadway Insurance Partners’ boss Daniel Lloyd-John for London lunchtime eats at Circolo Popolare – an Italian restaurant in Fitzrovia.
The duo enjoyed an oozing burrata cheese and crispy pizzette parcels to start, followed by respective pasta dishes for main course. Scott indulged in a creamy, black truffle drenched mafaldine meal, while Lloyd-John enjoyed a classic bolognese ragu.
Running rings around the market
The Insurtech Run Club started its 2026 calendar of monthly 5km runs on 22 January, with around 24 market members coming together for an enjoyable jog around London’s Square Mile, sponsored by Lloyd’s Lab.
The club first launched in March 2022, bringing employees from insurers, brokers, trade associations and insurtechs together for a regular 5km to 6km jaunt around the City. This means the Insurtech Run Club is fast approaching its fourth anniversary.
Nick Goodwin, customer success and growth manager at Velonetic – who helps organise the group – told Insurance Times that the sporting posse has reached such a number now that there will be two paced groups as part of each monthly event moving forward.
Title race heats up
Insurance Times’ Fantasy Football League has stepped over the halfway point, with the insurance sector’s most savvy managers battling it out to claim bragging rights.
The league’s top 10 has been shifting throughout the season, but the leading pack is beginning to solidify, with the top scoring player 89 points above the manager in 11th spot.
If you have been playing Fantasy Football and are not part of the league, there is still time to join using code jqyo49.
The Speculator
January 2026 saw insurer Zurich recommence its negotiations to secure specialist underwriter Beazley, with the firm publicly announcing on 19 January 2026 that it had made a purchase proposal equating to 1,280 pence in cash per share.
By 22 January, however, Beazley told the market that it had rejected Zurich’s offer, stating that the suggested transaction “materially undervalues Beazley and its longer-term prospects as an independent company”.
The public statement standoff between the two insurers so far has the same look and feel as Ageas’ play for Direct Line Group in 2024 – the personal lines business ultimately sold to Aviva in July 2025.
The main difference, however, is that Beazley has revealed that this is not the first foray Zurich has made to instigate M&A. Beazley’s board received three purchase offers from Zurich in 2025, with the latest of these – in June – being at a higher 1,315 pence per share value compared to 2026’s proposals.
Zurich appears adamant about buying Beazley, so it is questionable how long this game of cat and mouse will continue for and how much of a carrot the insurer is prepared to dangle. On the face of it, it seems that monetary value is the primary stumbling block to deal completion – but surely Zurich have the firepower to surmount this…
Hosted by comedian and actor Tom Allen, 34 Gold, 23 Silver and 22 Bronze awards were handed out across an amazing 34 categories recognising brilliance and innovation right across the breadth of UK general insurance.
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